


Intervention

by indiepjones46



Series: First Time Fix-Its [7]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Chin gets married to Malia, Clueless Steve and Danno, Episode Tag, Except Steve and Danny, First Kiss, First Time, Fix-It, M/M, Moist Towelettes, More Tags Apply but I'm too tired to think of them, Mutual Masturbation, POV Danny "Danno" Williams, POV Others, POV Steve McGarrett, Season 2 Episode 12 Alaheo Pau'ole, everyone knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 23:13:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8032735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiepjones46/pseuds/indiepjones46
Summary: As the reception gets underway after Chin and Malia's wedding, it seems that everyone is talking about Steve and Danny attraction to each other. Except for the men themselves.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: you know the drill. Don't own or profit from the show...blah, blah, blah
> 
> Beta: I once again spared my bestie since she's not familiar with the show and she has no idea who all these people are. Her loss. I've tried to tell her. (I'll try to go back and clean it up when I've caught up on my sleep!)
> 
> Notes: Okay, this one is a little different, but still lots of fun. It's also longer and with less sexy time than usual, but it's still hot! Also, please forgive me for any butchering I did of Pidgin/Hawaiian language. I am completely ignorant, so anything I added was plucked from the internet and crow-barred into my dialogue. I also want to give a big shout out to [missmeagan666](http://archiveofourown.org/users/missmeagan666/pseuds/missmeagan666) for the suggestion to focus on this episode. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it!

“Look at dose two over there,” Kamekona gestured with his laden fork. “Something seem a little…how should I say this…funny about them two haoles?”

Dr. Max Bergman, a diminutive Asian man with glasses, observed the table his friend was currently indicating with the poking of his utensil laden with grilled shrimp. He deduced that his rotund Hawaiian friend was, in fact, referring to the table where Commander Steve McGarrett and Detective Danny Williams of the Five-0 task force were sitting, and not the elderly grandparents of the bride.

 He took a moment to watch the two men interact with each other. Max was a highly-intelligent and analytical person, and studying the behavior of his peers (he still hesitates to think of them as his friends) from work had become something of a hobby of his. Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams were something of an enigma to him. Taken separately, the two men were easily dissected and classified, but put them together, and Max was stymied by the results.

Max, a creative and imaginative thinker, liked to compare the two men to wolves. Commander McGarrett (he still can’t bring himself to call him Steve) was a typical alpha male specimen. He was in prime physical condition, instilled fear and respect in those around him, had a natural-born ability to assume command over any crisis, and he made it his business to protect his pack. Detective Williams, on the other hand, was a lone wolf. He spent his life floating on the fringes of other packs, but was too dominant to submit to the alpha, while also being too beta to have any desire to lead. Essentially, Detective Williams (he would never be able to call him Danny) was an alpha only unto himself. He resented authority figures that held greater power than he, believing that he was more than capable of policing himself. It made him a risky pack member, but also quite valuable.

“If you are indeed referring to Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams, then yes, I do believe there to be something _funny_ about them,” Max answered, his tone clipped and almost robotic.

Kamekona shook his round, bald head and explained. “You shoulda seen dose two when we was getting fitted for our suits. Danny had a handcuff dangling off of one wrist, and Steve was just standing there looking…what’s the word… _smug_. I tell you, bruddah, there’s something going on there.”

Max nodded in affirmation of Kamekona’s theory. “From what I’ve been able to observe, there appears to be great affection between the two, which according to the nature of their respective personalities, should render them incompatible. Friendship alone cannot account for the anomaly in their behavior toward one another. The only hypothesis that leaves me with is that they are, in fact, developing romantic feelings for one another.”

The big native man shrugged and speared another shrimp on his fork. “Shoots, I don’t think dem two wen’ oof with each other just yet. Maybe gettin’ close, for sure.”

Max blinked as he searched his memory bank for the correct Pidgin translation. “Ah! If you mean that it is your belief that the Commander and the detective haven’t yet engaged in coitus, then I believe you are correct. Perhaps they do not realize that their affection for each other has evolved. Their interactions are quite intriguing to watch.”

“Not for me, brudduh,” Max’s friend replied. “I don’t got nuttin’ against two kane getting familiar wid each other, but I would much rather watch dose two nani wahini over there,” he admitted, wagging his eyebrows toward the open bar.

Max tracked Kamekona’s gaze and replied, “Hmm, I can definitely see the appeal of crafting sexual fantasies about Agent Weston and Officer Kalakaua. Both ladies are quite attractive and the idea of them indulging in Sapphic congress with each other would be pleasurable for most heterosexual males. I, too, find the idea quite arousing.”

Kamekona just nodded in understanding and replied, “You can say that again, brudduh.”

 

********************************

 

“Are you watching this?” the pretty blonde federal agent remarked to her friend as she took a sip of the cocktail that she just retrieved from the bartender.  

Kono’s exotically-slanted brown eyes were riveted to the same spot as her friend’s as she dangled a full beer bottle from her fingertips.  “I’m pretty sure everyone’s seeing this, Lori. Those two are ridiculous.”

Lori Weston couldn’t help but sigh with disappointment as she watched Steve and Danny huddled together at a table across the reception room at Chin’s wedding. “You think this is bad, you should have seen the two of them when Steve arrived at Danny’s room and found us handcuffed together. Danny was babbling like a spouse caught cheating and Steve was all jealous and disbelieving like he had just caught his spouse cheating. The only problem was that Steve was jealous of me instead of Danny. I have to admit that it stings a little bit that they are both so oblivious of me. I have thrown out so many signals that I was interested in Steve, and even a few to Danny, but neither of them even noticed! That’s why I had so much fun egging Steve on by insinuating that Danny and I were staying there together. You should have seen Steve’s face. He was beside himself and I’m not ashamed to say that I enjoyed every minute of it. Revenge is sweet, my friend.”

Kono snorted and rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re preaching to the choir. I never really thought of Steve that way, though. Too much like my big brother to do it for me. But Danny…I have to admit that I cast bait that way for months, but I couldn’t even hook him. Too much like his little sister to do it for him, I guess.”

“More like too into his own partner to notice,” Lori shot back, her tone only mildly venomous.

Kono tipped the bottle back and swallowed several times before answering, “They’re so oblivious to it, too. It’s almost painful to watch sometimes.”

Lori knocked back the rest of her cocktail and impatiently summoned the bartender for another one. “You mean like right now? Look at them, Kono. They’re at a table alone with no other chairs for someone else to sit in, their bodies are leaned in toward each other, and personal space is non-existent. Danny can’t seem to keep his hands to himself, either. Watch how often he reaches out to touch Steve as they talk. There is obviously sexual attraction between the two of them, but neither one seems to be aware of it. The other profilers back at Homeland Security would have a field day observing them together.”

The native woman chuckled drily. “I started an office pool to bet on how long it will take them to realize their feelings and screw each other less than three months ago. Chin bets it will be at least another year, but I’ve got more faith in them. I said it would be within the next two weeks. You want in on that action? Fifty bucks will get you in.”

Lori flicked her clutch open and retrieved a crisp $50 bill. She slapped it into Kono’s waiting palm and declared, “I’m in. I’ll give them at least two more months. They’re still pretty clueless, though I would say it’s getting close. How much is the pot up to?”

Kono lifted her eyes to ceiling as she counted in her head. “Let’s see…that’s me, Chin, Fong, Max, Steve’s sister Mary, and Duke. Adding you, that brings the pot to $400.”

Lori accepted her new drink gratefully from the bartender and took another deep swallow. Wiping her lip with one manicured nail, she grinned and held out her glass. “May the best woman win.”

Kono clinked her bottle to Lori’s glass and smirked. “I hate to tell you this, but that’s going to be me. I have my eye on this wicked new surfboard, and I mean to buy it with my winnings.”

The two women laughed and resumed their careful watch of the partners across the room. When they witnessed Danny cupping Steve’s face in his palm and say something serious, Lori sighed deeply and said, “Well, shit. I think I just lost $50.”

 

**********************************

 

Chin Ho Kelly couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of his beautiful new bride. Malia was radiant in her white gown, but her smile was what lit up the entire room as she twirled around the dance floor in her father’s arms. He didn’t mind standing against the wall as she took center stage. It was where she belonged, after all.

His attention was pulled away from his love by the approach of Joe White. Chin didn’t necessarily trust the man. He knew that Steve respected his former commander in the Navy SEALs and even looked to him as a father figure, but something about the man rubbed Chin wrong. Joe White wore secrets and espionage like cheap cologne, and he was afraid that his best man would someday choke on it.

Joe approached Chin and stuck his hand out. Chin only hesitated for a split second before he returned the handshake. Joe said, “Chin, congratulations. Malia seems like a wonderful woman. I wish you both the best.”

The native Hawaiian retrieved his hand from the bruising grip and smiled tightly. “Thank you, Joe. I am a very lucky man. But something tells me that your felicitations aren’t what brought you over here just now.” The older man’s eyes appeared to twinkle with approval. Chin didn’t really care if Joe liked him or not. He only cared whether Joe was working in Steve’s best interest.

Joe’s lips quirked up with a small smile. “I knew you were clever, Chin. The armed forces missed out on recruiting you. You would have made a hell of a SEAL.”

Chin’s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Instead, I made one hell of a cop and detective. What can I do for you, Joe?”

The geniality faded from Joe’s eyes and cold calculation took over. “Since I’ve been here, I have noticed that Steve has a rather unique relationship with Danny. What can you tell me about them?”

Chin’s eyebrows climbed his forehead. His dark, exotic eyes immediately began to scan the crowd for Steve and Danny. He found them seated together, alone, and apparently in deep conversation with each other. As usual, boundaries had disappeared as if their bodies’ gravitational field pulled the other into their orbit. He could practically see the sparks jumping across the scant inches that separated them, and could physically feel the wave of connection between them from across the room. Chin knew what he was looking at, and he approved whole-heartedly. Danny was good for Steve. It was as simple as that to Chin. He saw the way the shorter man balanced out Steve’s extremes and had witnessed the change that had come over the battle-hardened SEAL since Danny had come into his life. So many people had failed Steve in his lifetime, but Danny was always there to back him up, steer Steve back on track, or reign him in when he threatened to go too far. As far as Chin was concerned, Steve and Danny were made for each other.

“I’m not sure what you’re asking, Joe,” Chin stalled by replying. He knew how to play this game of cat and mouse that the retired SEAL was playing.

Joe cut his eyes across the room to take in the scene of Danny and Steve conversing closely. “I think you know exactly what I’m asking, Chin. Are the two of them in a romantic relationship with each other?”

Chin clenched his teeth. _Leave it to the man to get right to the point_ , he thought grimly. “I’m not sure how that’s any of your business. Frankly, it’s none of mine, either. If you want to know the answer to that question, why not just ask Steve yourself?”

Chin smirked at the muscle jumping in his opponent’s clenched jaw. _Check and mate_ , he thought.

Joe took a deep breath and admitted, “Because I’m not sure that Steve even knows the answer to that himself. I’ve observed him closely since I’ve been here, and he exhibits all the behaviors of a jealous boyfriend when it comes to his partner, yet I’ve never seen them touch each other in a purely sexual fashion. There is definitely something between them, though. Am I correct?”

Chin weighed his options before answering. On the one hand, Joe could be a great support system for Steve if the man was honest about his concern for the welfare of his best friend’s son _and_ if he approved of the two men getting involved romantically. That was a big IF. On the other hand, he could be ingratiating himself to Steve in order to be close enough to derail Steve’s investigation every time he got too close to the truth about Wo Fat and Shelburne. Either way Chin answered, there was the risk of exposing Steve to danger.  He wanted to avoid that at all costs. This would require a delicate balance on his part. Good thing he had a lifetime of practice to fall back on.

“All I can tell you, Mr. White, is that Steve and Danny have gotten very close in the last year. They’ve been through a lot dangerous situations together, and they have been there to pull each other through them. They are partners and confidantes. I have no definitive proof of anything more.”

Joe smirked and studied Chin’s unreadable face. With a wry chuckle, the older man said, “You’re a wily bastard, aren’t you? Fine. I commend your loyalty to the both of them. They are going to need it if things between them continue to progress to its natural conclusion. Believe it or not, Mr. Kelly, I really do want what is best for Steve. I don’t want to see him get hurt, but if he continues in this mad quest for Shelburne, I’m not going to be able to protect him from that. I’m hoping that by encouraging Steve to pursue Danny romantically, he will be too distracted with a new relationship to chase the white rabbit. Is that honest enough for you?”

Chin’s instincts didn’t sound an alarm, but there was still reservations. Joe was telling the truth, at least partially. He believed the part about Joe wanting to protect Steve from getting hurt, but he wasn’t so sure about his motives. Finally, Chin nodded to acknowledge his acceptance of Joe’s words and replied, “I believe that you care about Steve, but I still think you’re hiding something or _someone_. Feel free to talk to Steve about his relationship with Danny all you want. But if you’re expecting me to participate in your plan to throw Steve off his investigation, then I’m afraid I will have to decline to help. You see, I don’t believe in manipulating my friends to my own purposes. Their path is their own. I will not offer them directions unless they ask me for it.”

Joe and Chin locked eyes in a silent battle of wills. When Chin refused to blink, the former commander broke contact. Clearing his throat, Joe said, “Understood. I believe I’ll take my leave for the night. Good evening, Mr. Kelly. Enjoy your lovely new wife.”

Chin gripped the man’s hand once more and shook once before dropping it. “Thank you again, Mr. White. We appreciate you being here.”

Chin watched as the enigmatic former SEAL wove his way through the crowd and disappear. When he lost sight of him, Chin’s eyes sought out Steve and found him still deep in conversation with Danny. He frowned at the thought of Joe meddling with the personal lives of his two friends. While he was all for giving the two men a kick in the right direction, he also respected their right to discover the truth on their own. As far as he knew, neither Steve nor Danny were gay or even bi-sexual, but there was no denying the potent attraction between them.

At this point, Chin had to make a decision. He could tell Steve that Joe was planning to use his relationship with Danny to take his focus off of Shelburne, but then he would be placing himself right in the middle of their developing relationship which his code of honor would not allow. Or, he could sit back and say nothing about Joe and trust Steve’s instincts and skills to keep him safe. That would allow Joe to give Steve a prod in the right direction in order to find happiness, but it would also leave his friend open to greater danger by distraction and new love. Ultimately, Chin made his decision based on his heart.

Mind made up about his course of action, his focus resumed tracking his new bride. He found her by the chocolate fountain laughing with her cousins. Her slender, shapely arm was thrown around her maid of honor and happiness radiated from her core to illuminate everyone else around her. _God, she is so beautiful,_ the new husband thought to himself _._ He pushed away from the wall, desperate to feel that warmth bathing him once more. Malia was his light, his hope, and his salvation. He had never loved anyone like her before. That was how he knew that Steve and Danny were destined for each other. Their faces when they were together revealed the same awe that his did every time he looked at Malia. Chin knew what it felt like to fall in love, and he would do everything in his power to protect his friends while they continued doing the same. Even though his path to love with Malia had been plagued with pain, he wouldn’t trade a single moment of the journey they had taken to this place. His friends deserved that, sooner rather than later. Steve would always be in some kind of danger; it was the man’s nature. He wanted to see Steve happy while he had the chance, because no one knew better than Chin that tomorrows were never promised.


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m just saying, babe, that you need to let it go for tonight, okay?” Danny insisted to his partner. He scooted his chair closer to Steve in order to ensure that none of the other wedding guests would be able to eavesdrop. “Look at you. You’re all tense and broody like you’re thinking up all the ways you can kill someone with that beer bottle you’re currently strangling.”

Steve glanced down at his hand distractedly. “I already know the answer to that, Danny. It’s seven, unless you break the base off, and then it rises to thirty-two.”

The blonde detective chuffed a laugh and shook his head in amazement. Steve never failed to surprise him; it was part of the man’s charm. “It is very disturbing to me that you answered that so quickly. You know you’re a freak, right?” When Steve’s handsome face drew down in a frown, he hurried to add, “It’s okay, though. I happen to like your brand of insanity, babe.” When his partner just rolled his eyes with quirked lips, Danny relaxed. “Seriously, Steven. There is nothing we can do about Shelburne or Joe tonight. In case you haven’t noticed, this is a wedding. And not just any wedding, mind you. This is Chin’s wedding to Malia, and we both know that Chin has excellent taste in alcohol. So, why don’t you put down that pussy bottle of weak beer and join me in getting drunk on someone else’s top shelf booze?”

Steve smirked and darted his hand out to snatch the tumbler of whiskey and cola out of Danny’s hand and brought it to his lips to swallow it down to the last drop. With a sigh of pleasure, he snapped the glass down on the table in front Danny. “There. Mission accomplished. Can we get back to what I was just telling you about my conversation with Joe a little while ago?”

Danny resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. He had to hand it to Steve. The man was single-minded to a fault. “We’ve already been over this a dozen times, Steven. You know, and I know, that Joe is hiding something. I’m telling you that he knows more about Shelburne than he’s letting on. Who knows? Maybe he _is_ Shelburne and he’s just trying to throw you off the scent. The important part of what I’m saying is that we can’t do anything about it _right now_. You need to learn when to let go of the conspiracies and just relax for a while. You keep going like this and you’re going to make yourself crazy. Believe me, you’ve already driven me there.”

Steve’s hazel eyes crinkled with mirth. “You didn’t need my help to get there, buddy. You were like this when I found you.”

Danny flagged down a passing server, silently wondering if he was one of the Kalakaua/Kelly cousins, and gestured to him to bring two more of the drinks. Returning his attention to his partner, he grinned. “Yeah, but you love me. Don’t try to deny it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Steve shot back, meeting Danny’s smile with one of his own.

The detective’s stomach fluttered inexplicably. It wasn’t the first time it had happened when he and Steve were together. To be honest, it had happened every time he saw the man. He wasn’t so sure what it meant, though. To hide his confusion, he teased, “Are we having a precious moment right now, babe?”

Steve laughed, just as Danny had hoped he would, and breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Steve’s stress and worry melt away. A few more drinks for his partner should finish the job he’d started.

Steve rolled his eyes, but his humor remained in place as he shot back, “I’m pretty sure you already had your precious moment with Lori back in your hotel room. Showing her the ‘Jersey Slip’, Danny? Did you really expect me to buy that?”

Danny immediately went on the defensive. For reasons he chose to ignore, it was important that Steve believed the truth. “Of course I expect you to believe it, you schmuck. That’s what really happened.” He paused to slip the server a tip when the uniformed relative of their host placed two full tumblers of soda and whiskey in front of them. When the waiter had again departed, he continued, “It’s not my fault that you have a dirty imagination, Steven. Lori and I are just friends.”

Steve arched an eyebrow, his expression clearly telegraphing his doubt. He paused to take a deep drink of the stout cocktail before replying, “You know that you can tell me if you and Lori are hooking up, right? I mean, I wouldn’t personally recommend getting involved with the governor’s babysitter, but you’re both adults. As long as it doesn’t interfere with work, what you do with your sex life is your business.”

Danny snorted. “Please. First of all, what sex life? Unlike some people, I do not have a charming woman that shows up to ride the baloney pony with me during her shore leave. In case you haven’t noticed, the market for a middle-aged, divorced cop is pretty slim. There is no sex life to speak of. Also, let me just explain something to you. Lori Weston is not interested in me like that at all. In fact, you’re too blind to notice that she goes out of her way to flirt with you. She tries so hard to catch your attention that it makes me feel a little jealous.”

Steve leaned forward and locked gazes with his partner over their drinks. “You really think she was taking too long to fish that key out of your pocket because she was trying to flirt with _me_? Danny, her hand was inches away from your dick. A woman doesn’t get that close to your junk unless she’s interested in closing the distance, if you know what I mean.”

A spark of devilry flared to life in Danny’s chest. If asked later, he would blame it on the alcohol. “I’m not sure how I feel about you putting so much thought into who touches my dick, Steven. You’re more than welcome to touch it yourself if you’re that worried about it. At this point, I’m beyond caring who grabs my dick as long as they get the job done.”

A flush of deep red crept up Steve’s cheeks and he looked down quickly. “Fuck off, Danny. I hope you and your right hand have a good time tonight.”

Danny immediately felt contrite for goading his partner. It seemed so natural to reach out and palm the man’s cheek in order to regain eye contact. When Steve’s kaleidoscope-colored irises locked on his, Danny said, “I was just kidding, babe. Don’t be mad. Besides, me and my right hand have a good time every night. Sometimes we have a good morning, a good afternoon, _and_ a good night.”

“You are such an asshole,” Steve informed him, his tone both affectionate and frustrated.

Reluctantly, Danny dropped his hand from his friend’s whiskered jaw as they broke into shared laughter to relieve the tension. Being with Steve like this, just the two of them, made Danny happy. He’d never had a friend like him before, even as a kid. He didn’t tend to warm up to other men that well. Danny had always had scores of female friends his entire life, had even slept with most of them, but he just couldn’t seem to hang on to male friends. He had thought it wouldn’t be any different when Steve had commandeered him for the governor’s task force, but he had been pleasantly surprised to find that his testosterone-laden new partner was actually a genuinely nice, compassionate man. A little insane and too intense at times, but still an honest-to-God good guy. It definitely didn’t hurt that Steve was easy on the eyes, too, but Danny tried not to dwell on that thought too often.

They continued to down their drinks, joking and teasing each other, while discussing the finer points of the wedding ceremony until they were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of two very beautiful, very drunk women. Both Lori and Kono had a shot glass of liquid sloshing over the rim in each hand, and they placed one of the little glasses in front of both Danny and Steve.

“You boys are entirely too sober to be at a Kalakaua/Kelly celebration,” Kono announced. Grabbing the salt shaker from the middle of the table, she licked a path across her hand and poured the salt along the wet patch left behind.

Lori piped in, “So, we thought you guys might like to do some tequila slammers with us. What do you say?”

Danny traded silent communication with his partner before turning back to the women. “There’s only one problem with your offer, blondie,” he informed the blonde agent. “We got the salt and the tequila, but no limes.”

Lori winked naughtily at Danny before turning to lock eyes with Steve. Boldly, she reached her hand into her cleavage and retrieved a cocktail napkin full of lime slices and placed them on the table. Steve followed every movement carefully and quirked an eyebrow. “I’m impressed with your ingenuity, Agent Weston. That was a judicious use of your…assets,” Steve complimented her gallantly.

Kono divvied up the limes and shot glasses and waited for everyone to prepare their salt. Lifting her glass in the air, she said, “To Chin and Malia!”

Lori and Steve echoed her toast, but Danny said, “To Lori’s impressive assets!”

All four of them licked the salt off their hands, slammed back the shot of tequila, and then bit into their lime wedge. Danny grimaced as the fiery liquid raced down to warm his belly while his cheeks clenched with the tart squirt of lime juice on his tongue. Before he could recover from the burn, Kono grabbed his hand and was dragging him to the floor. “God, I love this song. Come dance with me, Danny!”

The DJ had just started playing “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye, and the dance floor was filling up rapidly with couples. Danny obliged his gorgeous coworker readily, and as he placed his palms on her narrow hips, he spied Lori getting cozy with Steve by slipping her arms around his neck across the dancefloor. He turned his attention back to his dance partner as they began to sway to the classic R&B hit.

“Don’t worry, Danny,” Kono admonished him before he could say anything. “I’ll give you back to Steve when I’m done with you,” she teased.

The detective turned on his charm and pulled the young woman in closer. It didn’t bother him one bit that his friend was easily four inches taller than him. He had never been intimidated by a woman’s height. “I have a feeling he would rather you kept me, doll.”

Kono’s gaze floated over the other dancers until she spied Steve chuckling as he turned Lori into a spin. “Somehow, I doubt that very seriously,” she murmured. Louder, she asked, “So, Danny. Are you seeing anyone right now?”

Danny regarded his coworker with suspicion. Something smelled funny about this whole set up. “Nope, can’t say that I am. Why? You offering?” he retorted easily. He enjoyed the flirty banter he and Kono engaged in often. He had been pleasantly surprised to find that the exotically lovely Hawaiian woman had almost no filter when it came to discussing sex, telling dirty jokes, and dropping innuendos when they were alone together. He never took her teasing seriously. She was practically his little sister, after all.

Kono smirked at his answer before replying, “It wouldn’t be the first time, handsome. Seriously, though. You need to get laid, brah. It’s been like 9 months since the whole Rachel episode. It’s time to move on. And before you ask, I’m not offering.”

Danny squinted his eyes and asked, “Why is everyone so interested in the state of my love life suddenly? Does everyone think that I am some loser pining over my ex-wife or something? I have prospects, you know. Remember Gabby from the museum? We’ve been out a few times.” He knew he sounded defensive, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

Kono made a rude noise. “Please. You two have as much chemistry together as oil and water. You need someone that makes your heart race, your palms sweaty, and your dick hard. I hate to be the one to tell you this, brah, but Gabby ain’t it.”

Danny fought back the dull, red flush that he felt creeping up his neck. “Apparently, you seem to have strong opinions on the subject, so why don’t you just tell me who you think I should fuck, Miss Kalakaua.”

Her face was serious as she leaned down to whisper in Danny’s ear, “Honestly? I think you should fuck Steve.”


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later, Steve was searching the party for Danny. The last time he had seen his partner was when they had been dancing with Kono and Lori to Steve’s favorite sexy-time song. Lori had been a great dance partner. She fit against the hard contours of his body nicely and she hadn’t been afraid to rub against his crotch several times as they danced to the song. They hadn’t really talked to each other as they danced; Steve hadn’t seen the need. Logically, he knew that Lori Weston was a beautiful woman, but that elusive spark of attraction just wasn’t there for him. Besides, he had been too distracted watching Danny and Kono talking to each other intimately as they swayed to a song about having sex. Their bodies had been pulled tight against each other and Kono had negated their height difference by placing her cheek to Danny’s to whisper in his ear. They had made an exotically beautiful couple together. Steve wasn’t quite sure what about that thought had made him so angry. Whatever it was, it had prompted him to refocus on his own dance partner instead of his work one.

When the song had ended, Steve glanced around to try to spot the couple, but Danny and Kono had disappeared. He made his apologies to Lori and excused himself to seek them out. With laser focus precision, he began to clear each space in the big reception room. When he failed to locate them there, he moved on to investigate the hallways and restrooms of the rest of the event hall. People hailed him or called his name as he moved through the crowd, but he spared only a moment to toss his hand up before he kept searching. By the time he made it to the parking lot, the sun had set and darkness had fallen on the island like a warm heating blanket.

That was when Steve saw Kono heading to her Jeep with a good-looking native man who seemed entirely comfortable with putting his arm around her waist and holding her car keys. The man wasn’t Danny, and Kono appeared to be more than willing to leave with him since she was currently grabbing his ass, so Steve continued his search for his partner. If anyone would have stopped him and asked why it was so important to find Danny, he wasn’t sure he would know what to say. Danny was his best friend. Steve cared about him, and the man made him laugh _all the time_. Steve couldn’t remember finding much to laugh about when he had been an active SEAL, but since Danny had come along, it seemed he was always cracking up at something his partner was saying or enjoying the man’s ridiculous arguments. Being with Danny always made him happier. It was that simple.

As he rounded the corner of the building to head toward the water line, a shadow separated itself from the wall. Steve immediately reached down to his waist to grab his gun, but came up empty. “Easy, son,” a familiar voice called out. “It’s just me.”

Steve’s body relaxed marginally as he called, “What are you doing out here, Joe? I thought I saw you leave over an hour ago.”

Joe didn’t step forward to allow the overhead lights to illuminate his face. “I was going to, but it was such a beautiful evening that I decided to explore the property for a while.” He paused for a moment before adding, “If you’re looking for Danny, then you can find him down at the shore.”

Steve’s instincts were nudging at him to proceed with caution. He couldn’t afford to completely alienate his only potential link to Shelburne. “What makes you think I’m looking for my partner?”

The shadow shrugged and replied lightly, “It was just an assumption on my part. Usually where I see one, the other isn’t too far behind. You and Danny make quite the pair. I like him, Steve. He’s good for you.”

Steve had a feeling that Joe was building up to something, but damned if he knew what. “Thanks, though I’m sure he would argue the point. He’s really good at that.”

Joe’s easy chuckle floated across the distance between them. “You know, son, I just wanted to let you know that your father would have been very proud of you. I think he would have been very fond of Danny, too. He was a lot more open-minded than you might think.”

Steve furrowed his brow in confusion. “Thanks, I guess. Why the sudden interest in my partner?”

Joe shifted in the darkness almost as if he were pulling the shadows around him like a cloak. “Just a product of my observations. Anyone with eyes in their head can tell the two of you have a very special relationship. In fact, it appears that your feelings for each other run deeper than even you suspect.”

Steve felt his stomach drop, but on the outside, his expression smoothed into the careful mask he had learned first-hand from the man standing in front of him. “I think I know what you’re getting at, but you’re wrong. Danny and I are friends and work partners, and that’s all.”

“Maybe for now,” his former commander conceded. “But you can’t deny that there’s a certain chemistry between the two of you. Whether you ever decide to explore that connection physically or not is up to you and Danny. I only wanted to mention it so that I could tell you that I have no problem with it, and in fact, heartily approve. I know the military has historically proven to be less than supportive of same sex couples, but times are changing.”

Steve could feel his face heating up with a combination of embarrassment and anger. “I’m not gay, Joe. Danny’s not gay, as far as I know. While I appreciate your show of support, it’s totally unnecessary in this situation.”

Joe stepped back further in the shadow of the building until the only thing Steve’s eyes could make out was the flash of his teeth. “I never said you were gay, son. I’m only trying to say that you don’t always get to choose who you love sometimes. When it happens with the person you least expect, you have to adapt and change your perceptions of who you are and what’s important to you. Don’t let the prospect of happiness slip through your fingers just because you’re afraid. Take it from someone who knows from experience.”

Steve didn’t even bother to reply. He knew that Joe was already slipping away into the night now that he’d said his piece. Typical Joe White behavior; drop in, arm the explosive, and disappear before the shrapnel could tear into him. Unfortunately, Steve was the casualty this time, and his perceptions had just been blown to smithereens.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve didn’t even realize his feet were moving as he headed toward the shore behind the event hall. His mind was too full of chaos to recognize that he was drifting toward his partner on auto-pilot. He knew that the alcohol he had imbibed wasn’t helping matters, either. His first instinct when Joe had insinuated that he was in love with his partner was denial. He’d never really thought of men in a sexual capacity before, but then again, he’d never met someone like Danny until now, either. In his secret heart of hearts, he could be honest about the fact that he found the motor-mouthed detective physically appealing. No one could wear dress slacks and a tie quite like Danny Williams. His body was shaped like a wide V with shoulders that strained at his button-down shirts before narrowing down to his trim waist.

Steve still remembered the first time he had seen Danny without a shirt. The shorter man had finally given in to Steve’s insistence to bring Grace swimming at the little beach behind Steve’s house. When Danny had whipped off his shirt, Steve’s mouth had practically fallen open. Danny’s body was so overtly masculine that Steve couldn’t help but view him with appreciation. His torso was defined with pronounced musculature across his arms, chest, and abdomen, and the expanse of it was covered with a smattering of light freckles and plenty of chest hair. The man’s swim trunks had balanced precariously on the border of indecent with his Adonis belt in full view and a treasure trail of hair down the middle pointing directly to his cock. Steve’s reaction to Danny’s body had been visceral and primal, and that had shocked the hardened SEAL to his foundations. He had nearly embarrassed himself with his ogling throughout that day, but thankfully, Grace had kept her father distracted enough that Danny didn’t seem to notice that his heterosexual partner was eye-fucking him every time his back was turned.

Maybe Joe had it right, though. Maybe Steve was getting too hung up on the fact that Danny was a man. It wasn’t like Steve had a problem with gay people, far from it. Two months before his dad died, Steve had spent his leave being a groomsman at his teammate’s wedding to another man. Jason Burkett was a badass SEAL and could diffuse any IED that came across his path, and Steve’s respect for the man only increased when Jason had finally confided in Steve about his fiancé. Even with the repeal of DADT, Burkett would still be risking everything by revealing he was getting married to a man and not a woman. Steve had been awed by the courage and bravery of his teammate to go for what he wanted. What bothered Steve now in the aftermath of Joe’s words, was not the fact that someone else knew he was in love with Danny. No, it was the fact that Joe hit the nail on the head when he had claimed Steve was afraid.

Would Steve still have held back from admitting these feelings if Danny had been a woman instead of a man? Somehow, he didn’t think so. In fact, he’s pretty sure that if the Jersey cop had been a beautiful, blonde woman, he would have had Danny pinned to the wall with his dick by the end of the first day. Instead, he had allowed fear to hold him hostage to the point that he wouldn’t even allow himself to think about it. His stomach felt a little sick as that realization came to him. No matter how many bullets he faced down, criminals he captured, or people he killed, Steve McGarrett was not a brave man. He was not brave like Jason who had proudly kissed his bearded husband in front of his family and teammates. His courage failed him in the wake of the same challenges that his teammate had faced down and conquered. In Steve’s eyes, that made himself a coward.  

As he made his way through the brush lining the beach, Steve’s spine straightened out, his arms flexed for action, and his face settled into battle formation. He threw his shoulders back, stuck his chest out, and locked eyes on his target. Danny was there, standing barefoot in the sand, and looking out across the water. The ends of the dark green maile lei still draped around his neck floated on the breeze as if waving him over. Bathed in the light of the moon, Danny’s profile stood out and Steve sucked in a breath as if struck by an armor-piercing round. The man was so gorgeous, so masculine, that Steve was rocked to his core. He finally allowed himself to admit it. He wanted Danny. He wanted him enough to be brave and risk everything, because if there was even the slightest chance that Danny wanted him, too, then Steve would be a fool not to fight for it. He hated to admit it, but Joe was right. He couldn’t allow his fear to determine his path any longer. Not when the reward was having Danny.


	5. Chapter 5

After his illuminating dance with a certain drunk native, Danny had felt the need to escape post-haste before anyone realized that he was sporting some impressive wood. His unfortunate situation was not the reason he had fled, though. No, he had stalked out of that ballroom to get away from the torturous words tumbling from Kono’s lips. As he stood by the water’s edge, he thought back on that dance...

_“Honestly? I think you should fuck Steve,” Kono whispered right into his ear._

_As if the song were echoing her sentiments, Marvin Gaye crooned, “_ There’s nothing wrong with me/Loving you, baby love, love/And giving yourself to me can never be wrong/If the love is true, oh baby… _”_

_Danny felt all the color leach from his face, leaving him dizzy. Without thought, he dragged Kono’s body closer to his to steady himself until they were plastered together from head to toe. Danny was blinded by his coworker’s suggestion. It was as if Kono had reached inside the deepest recesses of his subconscious and yanked his secret, most hidden thoughts to the surface. How had she known where to look? Even Danny had hidden those thoughts from himself so well that he had almost convinced himself they weren’t even there._

_“Why the fuck would you say something like that, Kono?” he hissed back in her ear. His eyes darted around to the other couples dancing close by, but no one was paying attention to their whispered exchange._

_Her chuckle was like a dark, seductive promise in his ear. “Because it’s true, Danny. The only one you seem to be fooling is yourself. Your eyes can’t lie to me. I’ve seen the lust in your baby blues when you watch him. Steve’s the only one who_ _makes your heart race, your palms sweaty, and your dick hard. So, my question to you is this. Why haven’t you done anything about it yet?”_

 _Danny’s heart began to race as fear clawed its way up his throat. He couldn’t think about that. He wasn’t_ allowed _to think about that. He had forbidden himself hundreds of times from thinking about his partner that way. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, doll.” His voice sounded weak even to him._

_Kono moved her narrow hips against his to the beat of the music and her breath washed over Danny’s ear with a caress. Her words dripped with seductive honey as she purred, “I’m talking about Steve with his shirt off, covered in sweat, muscles in his pecs jumping, and tattoos straining across his biceps as he faced off in that MMA charity match. I’m talking about Steve with his hair still wet from the ocean, board shorts clinging to his skin so tightly that you can see every detail of his cock, and lips that taste sweet with the hint of salt from the sea. I’m talking about Steve McGarrett in full tack gear, black gloves, thigh holsters, and running across car roofs to catch a criminal.”_

_Marvin Gaye added his own two cents by crooning, “_ You don’t have to worry that it’s wrong/If the spirit moves you.. _.”_

_To his utter mortification, Danny felt his cock swelling against the young woman, and it wasn’t in response to her seductive dance moves. “God damn it, Kono!” Danny growled. “Stop talking!”_

_Kono’s naughty laughter rang out across the dance floor, attracting appreciative glances from at least a dozen men nearby. Tucking her lips back in the crook of his neck, she murmured, “You’re not the first man I’ve made hard by talking dirty, but I have to admit that this a first for me. Usually by the time I’m done talking, they want me to shut up so they can fuck me, not someone else.”_

_“Serves you right, you hussy,” Danny shot back without heat. Despite her ham-handed tactics, he trusted her motives. He didn’t believe that she was just stirring the shit just so she could watch the show. He knew that she honestly cared about both him and Steve, so it was safe to be honest with her as well as with himself. “Does your cousin know about your lips being a concealed weapon?”_

_Kono pulled back and fixed a gimlet stare on him. “No, and he better never find out.” Her exotic eyes dripped potent threats._

_“Noted,” he assured her swiftly. After a laden pause, he continued, “I, uh…I haven’t done anything about it, because I’m afraid.” He said it fast, like ripping off a Band-Aid. He even winced in pain._

_As Marvin Gaye was wrapping up his yearning for some sanctified loving, Kono leaned in and pressed a brief, heartfelt kiss to Danny’s lips. When their eyes met again, she whispered, “My mother had a saying when I was small. She would hold my face in her hands and say ‘_ Ua ola loko i ke aloha. _’ Roughly translated, that means ‘_ Love gives life within’. _Don’t you see, Danny? You’ve brought each other back to life. Why are you so afraid of loving him?”_

_His body stopped swaying seconds before the song ended. Without a further word, Kono brushed his cheek with her knuckles, and walked away. He stood there for a timeless second, struck deaf and dumb by the epiphany his friend had dropped on him like velvet hammer. Fortunately, his still throbbing erection brought him back to himself almost immediately. In mere minutes, he found himself picking his way down to the beach. He needed to be alone. He need to think._

And there he stood, an hour later. Still alone. Still thinking. The waves were rhythmic and peaceful, just when he needed it the most. He knew he bitched about the ocean and the beach, but mostly that was to get Steve riled up and watch him come to life. True, Danny didn’t enjoy crowded beaches, sunburn, and the smell of coconut oil, but he loved to watch the waves at night when the breeze was cool against his skin, the stars sparkled in the deep midnight blue sky, and the air was free from the sound of humanity. It was the only time he took purely for himself. It was also when he would be with Steve, lounging in the beach chairs at his house, drinking beer, and talking about everything. Those moments with Steve on his beach were what kept him going, kept him sane, until he was able to see his daughter again. Steve gave him a reason to keep living his life even when he couldn’t be with his child. How could Danny not love him for that?

But the fear was still there, hovering over his shoulder and whispering vile consequences in his ear. What if he couldn’t bring himself to touch Steve in such an intimate way? It wasn’t that he was disgusted at the thought. Far from it. It was that he had never fucked a guy before, and had honestly never been tempted until now. In fact, it seemed his hands had a mind of their own when it came to his partner. He was always reaching out to grab Steve’s arm when he laughed, or propping an elbow on the man’s shoulder as they read evidence reports on Steve’s computer. He enjoyed touching Steve. It was addictive and secretly thrilling. But the thought of being that vulnerable and ignorant again scared him witless. It felt like he was back to being his 15 year old virgin self on his third date with Teresa Gillispie. She’d been two years older than him and already quite experienced in the art of backseat sex. Danny had been so petrified of doing it wrong, but by the end of the night, nothing had stopped him from throwing her legs around his waist and pounding her into the upholstery of her daddy’s car.

Why was he so afraid of this? Just because he’d never kissed another man didn’t mean that it wouldn’t be just as good, if not better, than kissing a woman. In fact, the thought of kissing Steve brought his erection back to life. Danny reached down to adjust himself as his imagination began to run away and delve into fantasies and thoughts that he had never permitted himself to dwell on. He reveled in the shock of lust that kick-started his pulse as he imagined what it would be like to feel Steve’s big, calloused hands running down his chest, over his abdomen, and under the waistband of his pants. He binged on fantasy of Steve on his knees in the sand while Danny stood over him thrusting his cock in and out of the man’s hot, slick mouth. He indulged in the taboo imagery of Steve pressing him down over his desk and sliding his cock deep into Danny’s ass. When he reversed their positions in his daydream, his cock pulsed against the zipper of his pants in protest at the delay in making it a reality.

It was time to be honest with himself. He wanted Steve. He wanted Steve more than his 15 year old self had wanted to fuck Teresa Gillispie, and that night had ended with him coming three times via her hands and slick, wet heat. What was holding him back now? It wasn’t like he didn’t know how to handle a cock in order to make it come. In fact, he had become quite proficient at it through practice on himself over the past few years since he and Rachel had divorced. Using that logic, it was quite possible that he would end up rocking Steve’s world the first time out.

Maybe Kono had been right after all. He shouldn’t be afraid of admitting that he loved Steve, and he shouldn’t allow fear to hold him back from getting what he wanted. What he wanted was Steve McGarrett, and he wasn’t going to allow his insecurities to stop him from getting his partner naked as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

The whispery sound of bare feet sliding through sand alerted Danny to the arrival of someone else into his moment of quiet reflection. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. As if his thoughts had been brought to life, Steve was striding confidently across the sand toward him. Danny turned back to face the ocean, content to allow his partner to come to him. Steve came to a stop almost directly beside him, but his body was close enough that Danny could feel the heat rolling off of him. They stood there quietly for a moment watching the waves and just enjoying each other’s company.

“I looked for you after the dance was over, but you and Kono had disappeared,” Steve finally broke the comfortable silence.

Danny shifted his weight in the sand and replied carefully, “Yeah, I had to get out of there. Kono gave me a lot to think about. You should have heard the shit pouring out of her mouth like liquid sex. That woman has a seriously filthy mouth.”

Steve just hummed in reply before adding, “I noticed that she was doing a lot of whispering in your ear. What did she say to give you so much to think about?”

Danny chose his words carefully. “In her own unique way, she gave me some advice about my love life. She didn’t pull any punches, either.”

Steve shifted his body closer until Danny could feel their arms touching from shoulder to elbow. “That’s funny. I was just waylaid by Joe who seemed to have the same topic on his mind, too.”

Danny glanced up at Steve’s face to see if he could get a read on his expression by the light of the full moon. “Really? I bet that was interesting,” he remarked carefully.

Steve snorted. “You could say that again.” The former SEAL paused, drew a deep breath into his lungs, and let it back out slowly. “He, uh, had a lot to say about you, in fact.”

“Me?” Danny clarified with a raised eyebrow. “Why would Joe White give two shits about my love life?”

Steve ran a hand over his hair in what Danny had come to recognize as a nervous twitch. “Well, it wasn’t so much interest in your love life as it was the role you played in mine.”

Danny’s stomach swooped with sick excitement. Turning to face his partner, he countered, “What a coincidence. Kono had the same ideas about you in relation to me.”

They each paused in silence as they absorbed all the nuances and hidden meaning behind their words. Before Danny could gather his courage to dive right in, Steve beat him to the punch. “Joe seems to think that I’ve developed feelings for you. Romantic feelings,” he clarified softly.

The shorter man swallowed around his dry throat and subtly shifted his still erect cock to a more comfortable position. “Oh, really? What did you say to that?”

“I denied it, of course. It’s become something of a defensive reflex lately. Like if I keep denying the truth, then I won’t have to face up to it. After talking to Joe, though, I think I’m ready to be honest with myself about it,” Steve replied, his tone measured and cautious.

Danny’s breath stuttered as he pulled it into his starving lungs. Even though it wasn’t an outright declaration of his interest, it was more than enough to spark the fuel of Danny’s courage. “I’m still pretty sure you got off easier than I did, babe. Kono just flat out asked me why I hadn’t fucked you yet.”

This seemed to startle a laugh out of Steve. “Yeah, I’ll give you that one. You win this contest. What was, uh…what was your answer to that question, by the way?”

Danny stepped directly in front of his partner and squared their bodies. Catching his hazel gaze with his own, he replied honestly, “I told her that I haven’t done anything about it because I was scared. I’m not proud of it. It’s just the truth.”

Steve nodded seriously and took a measured step closer into Danny’s personal space. “I understand that feeling probably more than you realize. In fact, Joe accused me of being the same. It hurt to admit it, but he was right.”

Tension, heavy and thick, hung between them as they studied each other carefully by the light of the moon. Danny sucked on his top lip for a moment before asking, “So, what do we do now, babe?”

The tall, muscled SEAL clenched his hands into fists before forcing them to relax. “I’m not really sure, Danny. I’ve never done this before.”

Danny’s humor rose to the surface to save the day. “You’ve never made out with someone on the beach before? I thought they called you ‘Smooth Dog’ for a reason.”

His partner’s eyebrows lowered with mild pique. “You’re such a smartass. I don’t see you stepping up to the plate, either.”

His instinct to smooth Steve’s ruffled feathers had him reaching out to place his palms on the man’s lean hips before he even realized what he was doing. “You’re right, babe. I make jokes when I’m nervous. What did you call it? A defensive reflex?” When Steve only rolled his eyes, he pulled the man in even closer until their bodies were only inches apart. When Steve’s hands crept up to land on the shorter man’s shoulders, Danny continued, “Tell you what. Why don’t we start by attempting something small and easy. How about we try a kiss and see what happens from there?”

Steve nodded seriously, his head already lowering toward Danny’s. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, Danno. I like kissing. I’m told I’m really good at it, too.”

Danny couldn’t stop the wide grin that crinkled his eyes. “Is that so? I feel it’s only fair to warn you that I made our high school football team $400 in one night by manning the kissing booth at the fundraising bazaar. Angie Dickerson even gave me a twenty to slip her some tongue.”

Steve’s breath gusted out on a laugh as he hovered over Danny’s lips. “She was probably paying you to stop talking and use your lips for better things.”

“Yeah,” Danny admitted on an exhale. “Better things like this,” Danny explained by closing the distance between their lips.

The kiss was hesitant and shallow as each man gauged the reaction of the other. He could practically hear the pounding of Steve’s heart as their lips clung and parted, reunited and deepened. Danny’s fingers flexed against Steve’s hips, unknowingly dragging the man closer, as he sank further and further into the erotic heaven of Steve’s kiss. His partner’s tongue tentatively darted out to tease the seam of Danny’s lips, and the shorter man opened for him willingly. Danny met the advance with his own until he found himself on his toes in order to get closer and plunge deeper inside his partner’s mouth in order to taste every flavor that hid inside. Distantly, he recognized that Steve’s right hand had moved up to bracket Danny’s face while his own hands had begun to migrate under the man’s dinner jacket and on up the muscled expanse of his back.

Still, the kiss continued on for long, infinite minutes until Danny had no choice but to break away in order to breathe. He didn’t go far. In fact, their lips were still so close that their panting breaths traded spaces as each man fought to regain their senses. If Steve had been half as affected by that kiss as Danny, then the Jersey cop saw no more need to be afraid. That had been the hottest, sexiest first kiss of his life.

Steve’s arms wrapped around Danny’s shoulders and pulled the shorter man in even closer to his body until they were pressed to each other in a solid embrace. Danny didn’t even bother to pull his hips back in order to hide his obvious erection. He wanted Steve to know the affect that kiss had on him. He wanted Steve to know how badly he wanted him.

“That was…that was…amazing, right? Not strange or uncomfortable at all. In fact, that was really fucking hot, am I right?” Steve’s voice sounded dazed as if he had just taken a hit off a bong and was already feeling stoned.

Danny’s chuckle was muffled from where he had pressed his face into the taller man’s shoulder. He lightly thrust his hips against Steve’s body and replied, “Does this answer your question?”

Steve sucked in a sharp breath before he whispered, “Do that again.”

A shiver of lust raced down Danny’s spine at his partner’s command. Regaining his grip on Steve’s waist, he slowly and torturously ground his hard cock against the matching hardness of Steve’s own until they were both breathless and panting again.

Danny knew his voice sounded a little desperate as he said, “How about we figure out how to get out of here and continue this somewhere more private?”

“Fuck that,” Steve announced, his eyes scanning the empty beach around them until his gaze locked in place. Grabbing Danny’s arm, the Neanderthal animal began to haul him across the sand toward a row of tiny, pastel-colored huts with fabric curtains flapping in the breeze covering the doorways.

“Seriously, Steven? A changing hut on a public beach?” Danny protested only mildly as the tall, intense SEAL shoved Danny inside the first one they approached.

Steve was already sliding Danny’s coat and lei down his shoulders as he replied, “We can go back outside on the sand if you want to, but I’m not waiting until we get back home to do this.”

Steve’s lips crashed into his again as if he were trying to cut off anymore of the detective’s protests. Little did he realize, but Danny had no interest in delaying the pleasure he found in touching Steve’s body. And touch it, he did. His hands were everywhere, tugging the shirt free of Steve’s waistband and delving underneath to encounter hot skin, as Steve pushed him up against the flimsy wall of the shack. Steve’s fingers had given up on the buttons of Danny’s shirt and were instead tugging at the belt buckle around Danny’s waist as he did his best to drown the shorter man with his kiss.

Danny pulled back and hissed through his teeth when Steve’s big hand fought its way inside Danny’s slacks to palm his erection over his underwear. “Damn, Danny,” Steve panted with his forehead pressed to the wall over his shoulder. “You’re packing some serious heat.”

The shorter man’s laugh bordered on the hysterical before he groaned and thrust against Steve’s hand. “I may have been told that a time or two, but never by another man.”

Steve had already moved on to licking and biting his way up Danny’s throat while his hand massaged, pressed, and ran up and down Danny’s cloth-covered erection. Danny was so aroused that he thought he would explode, but frustration at not being able to reach Steve’s own cock through the tangle of arms and clothing kept him from tumbling over the edge. Finally, when Steve refused to budge to give him room to maneuver, he impatiently yanked the man’s hand out of his trousers and roughly pushed him back. “Wait!” Danny said firmly.

The shocked and embarrassed expression that transformed Steve’s beautiful face had Danny rushing to reassure him. “I’m just trying to make this easier for both of us, babe. Come here.”

When Steve hesitantly stepped closer to Danny, the blonde detective reached out to hastily undo the buckle of Steve’s belt and roughly popped the button loose before tugging his pants down. Without hesitation, he liberated Steve’s steely length from his skin-tight boxer briefs and took a moment to appreciate the sheer masculine beauty of the man’s cock. It was long, thick, and cut just like the man himself, and Danny’s mouth watered inexplicably.

As he pushed his own pants down to free himself for easier access, Danny remarked, “Jesus, babe, you’re fucking huge. We’re going to have to do some negotiating if you think you’re ever going to fuck me with that thing.”

A startled laugh escaped Steve’s lips as he crowded into Danny’s space once more. He pressed a dirty kiss to Danny’s lips before pulling back only long enough to say, “Don’t worry, Danny. We’ll work up to it.”

They sank into each other’s mouths once more as their hands made their way to their respective partner’s cock. Danny was already so close to the edge that he knew it wouldn’t take many passes of Steve’s big palm to make him come. He wanted Steve there with him, needed to see him lose his precious control, so he took a page out of Kono’s handbook and began to talk.

“Fuck, that feels good, babe,” he groaned in his partner’s ear. “You’re going to make me come so hard I see stars.” He pumped his own hand up and down Steve’s shaft as the man panted and moaned into his shoulder. “I can’t wait to taste you and find out what it feels like to have you explode in my mouth. Would you like that, Steven? Do you want my hot, slick mouth wrapped around your-“

Steve cut him off with a loud cry. His body seized against the shorter man as his cock swelled impossibly bigger in Danny’s hand before he came with short bursts of pearly fluid. The wrecked sounds of Steve’s moans and the man’s tightened grip on Danny’s own cock sent the detective over the edge. With a shout of “Steve! Fuck!”, Danny tensed and then released his own climax as waves of euphoria rushed over his skin and set his heart pounding.

The only sounds in the stillness of the changing hut was the break of the ocean waves outside and the harsh breaths of the two men still entwined against the wall. Neither of them had moved away from the other as they battled to regain their wits and reassemble their reality. Danny was enjoying the ride of floating along the endorphin sea, and the feel of Steve’s solid, familiar presence brought him the first peace he had felt since the day Grace was born.

“That didn’t feel gay at all. That was the hottest sex I think I’ve ever had in my life,” Steve’s awed voice interrupted into the silence, shattering Danny’s serenity.

Danny shook his head against Steve’s chest with a smile and replied, “Are you kidding me right now? That was the single gayest thing I’ve ever done in my life and I loved every moment of it. Actually, why don’t we get out of here so we can do it all over again without the clothes and the sand?”

Steve looked down at the mess between their bodies and grimaced. “Gross. I guess I’m going to have to start carrying a travel pack of moist towelettes around with me from now on.”

Danny pulled back to catch Steve’s eyes and said, “First of all? Never say the words ‘moist towelettes’ again. That is the most disturbing thing I have ever heard you say, and there’s been some doozies.” Steve’s face morphed into aneurysm mode, but Danny wasn’t done yet. “Second of all, the pockets on your cargo pants are already hanging at the seams from hosting your own personal armory all the time. Where would you possibly be able to store wet wipes?”

Steve’s face broke into that slow, glorious smile that had first made Danny tumble ass over teakettle into love with the man. He felt his own answering smile light up his face until they both started laughing. When they finally began to calm, Steve sighed and said, “You want to get out of here and go back to my place?”

“You are so gay, babe. Come on. Let’s blow this popsicle stand,” Danny replied happily.

As the two men snuck across the sand in the darkness toward the parking lot, a shadow separated from the side of the event hall and monitored their progress. The two men were too wrapped up in each other to notice their observer slipping from one hiding place to the next as they argued over the differences between a popsicle stand and a changing hut and how Steve had no concept of humor. As the two men flagged down a taxi and tumbled inside, the shadow melted into the darkness and smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

Before going back to work the Monday after the wedding, the two men had agreed to keep their developing relationship under wraps and not tell the rest of the team until they were a little more confident in their new roles as lovers. They spent the next week playing it cool in front of their friends and colleagues, but after work, all bets were off. Steve and Danny used that time enthusiastically making prodigious strides in learning about how to please each other with their hands and mouths.

Friday morning, exactly one week later, Danny was humming “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi as he parked the Camaro in the lot at the Palace. Just to be on the safe side, the two partners had decided to start taking their own vehicles to work so that no one would suspect that they had arrived from the same house. Danny didn’t really care one way or the other. As long as he could keep fucking Steve, he would jump through any hoop the man threw his way.

He grinned like a fool when Steve met him halfway across the parking lot to walk inside with him. The two men laughed as they made their way to their offices. When they ran into Max Bergman, they happily stopped to ask the young doctor how he was doing.

Max stared at them inquisitively, turning his head to the side as if studying them, before his eyes brightened and he said, “Ah! I see it now.” When the detective and commander only looked at him questioningly, Max waved them off without explanation. The Asian doctor answered their initial question in his usual robotic and humorous manner, and the two men gratefully parted ways with him to continue on their way to the office.

When they reached Five-0 headquarters, the two men broke away from each other with a teasing shove. Steve was still grinning as he headed into the breakroom to get some coffee. Lori Weston was there, leaning against the counter with her ankles crossed, and blowing across the rim of her own mug.

“Good morning, Lori,” Steve greeted her cheerily. “You’re looking very lovely today.”

The beautiful blonde’s face didn’t change out of the expression of disgruntled annoyance. “Ugh! Not only did I lose money, but now I have to put up with this shit all the time. And I thought it was bad _before_ ,” she announced.

With a sigh of frustration, the agent stalked from the room to leave Steve standing dumb-founded and confused while coffee overflowed his mug.

 

*************

The rest of the day continued on in much the same vein. For lunch, Steve and Danny decided to eat at Kamekona’s shrimp truck. They talked and laughed as they snagged bites off each other’s plates while bickering about who had to pay next time. When they were finally done eating, Kamekona himself came rolling over to their table.

Retrieving two bright red tee shirts off his shoulder, he presented one to each of the men. With a big smile cleaving his round face, he said, “I thought you two might look good in my new tee shirt design.” When Danny sighed heavily and began to dig his wallet out, the big man held his hand out to stop him. “It’s on da house, bruddah,” the native man assured him. “I just wanted to show my support for your…partnership. I love you guys. You’re ohana.”

Danny and Steve traded loaded glances. Clearing his throat, Danny smiled and said, “Thanks, buddy. We’re pretty fond of you, too. And while the free shirts are thoroughly appreciated on my part, I can’t help but think that comping our lunch would have been even better.”

“Shoots, bruddah,” Kamekona said as a bead of sweat slid down the shiny surface of his bald head. “Dose plates of shrimp cost me three times as much as dese shirts. You may be ohana, but I don’t love you guys dat much.”

Steve laughed at the comically chagrined expression on Danny’s face as they walked back to the Camaro.

**********

Later that afternoon, Chin knocked on the door frame of Steve’s office. He looked up with a surprised smile at seeing the new groom and said, “Chin! I didn’t think we would see you before next Monday. I though you and Malia were honeymooning in Maui?”

Chin’s eyes twinkled with his smile as he stepped further inside. “We just got back a few hours ago, so I thought I would swing by and see for myself.”

Steve’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion. “See what for yourself?”

Chin chuckled and replied, “How things went while I was gone, of course. What else could I mean?”

Steve shook his head and shrugged. “You got me. Things have been going great this week. Not that we didn’t miss you or anything, but it’s been pretty quiet around here the last few days.”

Chin tipped his head in understanding before his expression sobered. “Has there been any progress in your investigation into Shelburne since the wedding?”

Steve looked thunderstruck and then thoughtful. “Actually, I haven’t seen or talked to Joe since that night, come to think about it. It’s been a pretty eventful week for me. I’ll give him a call tomorrow and see if I can track him down.”

Chin’s lips quirked. “I thought you said things had been quiet around here the past few days,” the native man queried innocently.

“Uh, yeah, it was. Slow around here, I mean. What I really meant was that I was busy outside of work. You know, with family stuff and, uh…surfing! I’ve been giving Danno surfing lessons,” he finished confidently.

Chin raised his eyebrows and only paused for a moment before changing tack once more. “I bet you two are having a lot of fun surfing together,” he said with a straight face. His eyes narrowed and his tone grew serious as he added, “I just want to make sure that you don’t let anything, or _anyone_ distract you from your investigation. This mystery is important to you. It’s important to all of us now, and I don’t want you to regret missed opportunities by lashing out at the people closest to you. Don’t lose your focus, Steve. There are people out there who would love it if you dropped this whole thing and forgot all about the name Shelburne.”

Steve’s smile faded as he weighed the older man’s words carefully. With a grim nod of understanding, Steve said, “Don’t worry, Chin. I’ll be careful. Thank you for the advice. It’s good to know that the rest of the team has my back.”

Chin only tipped his head sharply with a smile and left as suddenly as he had appeared.

 

***************

As Steve and Danny walked back across the parking lot to their vehicles at the end of the day, they pulled up short and watched as Kono’s Jeep came barreling into the lot. Fastened to the rack on the roof of her vehicle was a six foot long surfboard that sparkled and reflected the afternoon sunlight. She stopped the Jeep a few feet away from the two men who were shielding their eyes from the light being reflected off the board and into their eyes.

“What are doing back here again, doll?” Danny called out to his friend and coworker. “I thought you had to leave early today for an appointment?”

Kono hopped down from her idling transport and trotted over to the two men. She was wearing a red bikini top and cut-off jean shorts and her flip flops clapped against the pavement until she came to a stop in front of them. “Don’t be salty because the boss let me leave early on a Friday, Danny,” Kono wagged her finger at the blonde detective. “I _did_ have an appointment this afternoon,” she paused to hike her thumb over her shoulder and added, “To pick up my new board from Mamo.”

Steve was already moving around the Jeep studying the board from all sides. He whistled low and said, “That is a sweet ride, my friend,” the commander praised her. “How much did this bad boy set you back? $400? $500 bucks?”

Kono laughed merrily and replied proudly, “It didn’t cost me a thing. In fact, several of my friends chipped in to buy it for me.”

Danny tried to find something knowledgeable to say about the board to impress his coworker, but it looked like all the other ones he had ever seen. “I didn’t know your boss paid you so little that you couldn’t even afford to buy your own board. Maybe you should talk to him about a raise.”

Steve rolled his eyes at Danny before facing Kono. “Seriously, Kono, why didn’t you tell me? I would have gladly chipped in if I had known.” Danny echoed the sentiment, but louder and with more waving of hands.

Kono looped her arm around Danny’s neck and urged Steve over to join the group hug. Squeezing each of their necks until they wheezed for breath, she replied, “Don’t worry, guys. You two have done more than you even know.”

After pressing an affectionate kiss to each of their cheeks, she hopped back in Jeep and sped off. Steve and Danny watched her go with matching expressions of puzzlement.

 

**************************

Late that evening, Danny and Steve lay sprawled across the SEAL’s bed as they battled to recover their breaths. They were naked and sweaty, their arms and legs thrown haphazardly across each other, as the sticky conclusion to their evening activities cooled into small splotches across their skin.

“Damn, Danny,” Steve sighed happily. “You’re getting really good at blow jobs. That thing you did with your finger while you were sucking me off was just…wow.”

The blonde detective smirked. “Thank you, Steven. You’re not so bad yourself. I guess practice really _does_ make perfect.”

The two men laughed and teased each other as they took turns wiping themselves down and settling under the covers. After Steve doused the light, they turned to face each other as was becoming their habit. They liked to talk to each other in the dark, especially when it came to discussing sex. They talked about that a lot. Almost as much as they actually engaged in it.

Just as Steve began to drift off, Danny whispered his name. Steve hummed in reply as he sleepily burrowed his hand under Danny’s side.

“When do you think we should tell everyone about, you know, _this_ ,” he stressed, knowing that his partner understood his inference.

Steve forced his brain to start working again as he considered the question. “I don’t know. Things have been going so good at work lately. It’s like the good vibes from Chin and Malia’s wedding are still affecting everyone’s mood. I’d hate to spoil that or take away from their spotlight by throwing something so unexpected at them.”

“I get what you’re saying,” Danny replied, “Though, we already know it won’t be a surprise to at least two people. Kono’s all for it, believe me. I wouldn’t even be surprised if she asked for details. But, I think you’re right about not wanting to take away from Chin’s moment in the spotlight. Why don’t we give it a few more weeks and then start small by just telling the team and our friends? We’ll tell Grace tomorrow when she comes over for the weekend, though. I don’t like the idea of lying to her.” Steve _mm-hmm’d_ in agreement. Danny continued, “We can worry about everyone else as we go. Besides, it’s not really anyone else’s business but our own.”

Steve’s jaw cracked with a noisy yawn before he replied, “That sounds like a plan. Now shut up and let me go to sleep.”

Danny snorted softly and whispered, “Love you, too, babe. Goodnight.”

 

End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***I hope I did all the characters justice. This one was a little more difficult and time-consuming to write than the others, but I think it turned it out really well. Let me know what you think! Thanks again to all the awesome and supportive people who have taken the time to read, leave kudos, and/or write a comment. You rock!***


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